< previous page page_473 next page >

Page 473
Go. And send me word; as soon as you have any news about any of them, send me word."
Fortunately, the king was at Oxford rather than London, and Salisbury was in John's bedchamber by an hour after compline, catching him just before he got into bed.
"Where is Ian de Vipont?" Salisbury asked his brother, with no greeting and no introduction.
"In hell, I hope," John responded spitefully, and then seeing his brother's ghastly pallor, he frowned. "But if he is, it is not with my assistance. What ails you, William, to burst in on me and cry out for de Vipont without a word of greeting or explanation. I am not Ian's keeper."
"My son is with Ian. Where is he, John? Where?"
"How do I know? I swear to you, William, that the last I heard, de Vipont was besieging a castellan near Kemp. If he is gone from there But I know the siege is being prosecuted with vigor. I heard You mean he disappeared from the camp? When?"
"I am sure of nothing except that he was not in Sussex. Between Powys Castle, where he spent the night, and his wife's property at Clyro Hill, where they say he did not arrive, he disappeared. Have your people in Wales heard nothing?"
John stared right through his brother, slowly shaking his head. "Not a word of de Vipont, but I have no really recent news from Wales. All is quiet there. I am ready to swear on whatever you desire, William, that I have no part in de Vipont's trouble in Wales, whatever it isI will go so far as to swear on the unborn fruit of my wife's womb, if that will content you."
Salisbury put an unsteady hand to his head. "Then what Lady Alinor believes must be true. It is the castellan at Clyro Hill that has taken Ian for some private reason. John, she is gathering men to take the keep. I am going to lead them for her."

 
< previous page page_473 next page >